Spacing table for metal-sheet-punching machines



Oct. 13,1925. wz ims J. A. DQWD ET AL SPACING TABLE FOR METAL SHEET PUNCHING MACHINES Filed May 29, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 1 oouooooeneeo-n v INVENTOI? JOHN /7.Dowa

JOHN H. Down JR.

Oct. 13, 1925.

SPACING TABLE FOR METAL SHEET PUNCHING MACHINES WITNESSES Filed May 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 9m ms. mamas J. A. DOWD ET AL SPAGING TABLE FOR METAL S HEET PUNCHINGMACHINES Filed May 29, 1924 4 sheets-sheet s INVENTOR Jon/v /-7. Down Jo/m H.Dow0 JR.

ATTORNEYS Get. 13, 1925- 1.557,438

. J. A. DOWD ET AL SPACING TABLE FOR METAL SHEET PUNCHING MACHINES Filed Nay 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 III/II.

MIVE/{TQR OHN H. Down JOHN H. Qowo JR.

' ATT M578 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. DOWD AND JOHN A. DOWD, JR, F FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

. SPAGING TABLE FOR METAL-SI-IEET-PUNCHING MACHINES.

Application filed May 29, 1924.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JQHN A. Down and JOHN A. Down, J12, citizens of the United States, and residents of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spacing Tables for Metal-Sheet Punching Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for punching metal sheets such as boiler sheets, and has particular reference to an automatically controlled spacing table for such machines.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism by means of which a sheet to be punched may be advanced a predetermined distance relative to a punch after each operation of the latter so that the openings formed in the sheet will be uniformly spaced.

Another object is to provide a machine in which the mechanism for operating the spacing table which carries the sheets may be adjusted to vary the distance between adjacent openings punched in a sheet.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the inventlve ldea.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of the machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the spacing table with the table broken away to show the structure beneath;

Figure 4 is a' section on the line H of Serial No. 716,737.

3 Sl11OW111g a different form of the invention; anc

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through the form of the invention shown in Figure 9. j

The machine is shown as including a puncl'iing mechanism conventionally shown and indicated by the numeral 11, said mechanism including a vertically reciprocating punch 12. This mechanism may be of any desired type and inasmuch as its construction does not form any part of the present invention no further detail illustration or description thereof is believed necessary.

The mechanism is operated by a shaft 13 mounted in a suitable standard 1 1 and carrying loosely thereon a spur gear 15' with which is. meshed a pinion gear 16 driven by a shaft 17 from any suitable source of power. The spur gear 15 carries a clutch element 18 which cooperates with a similar clutch element 19 keyed to the shaft 13 and operated by the handle 20 to engage with the element 18 so that rotary movement of the spur gear 15 will be imparted tothe shaft 13 when the clutch elements are in en gagement. The construction so far described is standard and forms no part of the present invention.

The spacing table 21 of the present invention is mounted to reciprocate upon the tracks 22 and 23 and is provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots 24: in which clamps 25 are adjustable to secure a sheet 26 to the table and in position to be fed to the punching mechanism 11 as the table 21 is moved longitudinally of the tracks 22 and 23 in either direction. j

The mechanism for moving the table 1011- gitudinally of the tracks 22 and 23 includes a shaft supporting member 27 pivotally mounted at one end to the stub shaft 28 supported in a bearing 29 and having its other end mounted in a slotted guide 30 suitably secured to the frame of the machine and extending transversely thereof whereby the supporting member 27 may be positioned parallel to the tracks 22 and 23 or arranged diagonally relative thereto, as shown in the drawings. A screw shaft 31 of any desired pitch is journaled in the ends of the member 27 and carries at one end a bevel gear 32 which meshes with a similar gear 33 fixed to the stub shaft 28. The other end of the shaft 31 carries a hand wheel 34 by means 110 of which the shaft maybe manually rotated when the automatic driving mechanism later to be described is inoperative. Pivotally carried by the under side of the table adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof is a lever or arm'35, the under side of which is formed with a channel or guide groove 36. The arm 35 works beneath an opening 37 formed in the table 21, preferably adjacent one end thereof, and the curved edge of the opening 37 is formed with :an .arcuateguide groove 38. The arm 35 has an extension 39 on one edge through which extends a bolt 40 the head of which is engaged in the groove 38 to guide the arm 35 in its movements and vsaid :bolt may be t1ghtened when the arm is in adjusted position to secure the same in such position. Mounted for sliding movement in the member 27 is a traveler or block 41 through which the screw shaft 31 extends so that when said screw shaft is .rotated in either direction the traveler 41 will be correspondingly anoved longitudinally of the member 27. This traveler carries ahead 42 engageable in the channel 36 formed in I the arm 35 and capable of bearing against the sides of said channel so as :to exert a pressure against the arm as the traveler 41 is moved along the shaft to cause said arm, and consequently the table :21 to which the arm is aiiixed, to move longitudinally of the tracks 2-2 and 23. It will, of course, be ap parent that if the member 27 is arranged diagonally 'to the tracks, as shown in the drawings, the head 42 will move along the channel 36 .as the traveler 41 moves longitudinally of the shaft 31.

- Means :are provided :in connection with the member 27 and arm 35 for adjusting the relative :positions of said elements to regulate the distance that the table 21 will move as compared to a given movement of the traveler 41. along the shaft 31, the threads of which will be assumed vto have, for purposes of illust'ation, .a three inch pitch, that is, for each revolution of the shaft the traveler 4 1 will be moved along said shaft. a distance of three inches. The means referred to includes a graduated scale 42 marked along one edge of the member :27 and a second -gfaciluated scale 43. hinged at 44 to the track 22. l/V-hen the graduated scale 43 is in the EPOSiflOll shown in the drawing, the outer free longitudinal edge of said scale will .be in "direct alignment with the center of the :pivot 28 of the member 27. If it is desired (to space the openings to be punched in ;the sheet 26 three inches apart the graduated scale 43 is dropped from its horizontal position to permit of the member 27 being moved to aposi'tion exactly parallel with the tracks-22 a-ndi23, in which instancethe screw shaft 31 is manipulated by the hand wheel 34 to anove the arm 35 to a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

The bolt 40 is then tightened to secure the arm 35 in its adjusted position. With the parts thus adjusted it will be obvious that upon rotation of the shaft 31 through one revolution the traveler 41 will be moved a distance of three inches and the table will consequently be moved a like distance. In the event that it should be desired to space the openings "in the sheet a distance greater or less than three inches the member 27 and arm 35 may be accurately adjusted by mathematical calculation and the :use of certain instrumentalities, such as a parallelogram bevel, which form no part of the present invention. Briefly, as an example of an adjustment which can be made with out entering into the calculations necessary to secure exactly the desired amount of movementiot ;the table and consequently the distance between two of the openings in the sheet, let it :be assumed that it is desired to obtain a movement of the table less than three inches. The member 27 is first swung about its pivot to substantially the position shown in Figure 3 and secured in such position by means of the bolt 45. The scale .is then'adjusted to its OPBI'ELIJVG or 111015- zontal position and said scale is then employed in combination with the scale 42 to secure, by means of the instrumentalities above mentioned, the accurate adjustmentof the arm 35. Now, it said arm is adjusted .to a position at, right angles to the scale 43 it will lbe apparent :thata :right angle triangle will be formed by an altitude line extending from the 0 ater of the pivot 28 along :the outer edge of the scale 43, the base line through. the longitudinal center of .the arm 35 and the hypotenuse *line coincident with theshaft'31. The hypotenuse line being longer than the altitude line of the triangle, it will be obvious that when the traveler 41 moves in three inch spacings along said hypotenuse line the table will be moved along the altitude line in spacings less than itlnfee inches. As anotherexample, if the arm is adjusted to the position shown in Figure 3, the total line of travel of the traveler along the Shaft 31 will be greater than in the previous example and consequently :the spacings of the table will be even less than the spacings in said previous example. As still another example, if it is desired to make the spacings of the table greater than three inches the arm 35 is adjusted to a position where the same will form an acute angle with the line along the edge of the scale 43, in which event the etlective distance between'the traveler 41 and the p.i-vot"2-8- will be less than that between the latter point andthe point of intersection of the arm 35 with the edge of the scale 43.

Means rte-r intermittently rotating the screw shaft 31 to produce an intermittent movement of the table 21 longitudinally of the tracks 22 and 23 will now be described. The shaft 31 is capable of being rotated in either direction through the intermediary of a shaft 46having a bevel gear 47 meshing with the bevel gear 33, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings 48. A reversing means, Figure 7, is employed for imparting rotation to the shaft 46 in either di rection and includes a standard 49 in which is journaled a shaft 50 having pivotally mounted therein the adjustable frame 51. The frame 51 is of arcuate formation and carries about its curved portion a series of gears 52, 53 and 54, the gears 52 and 53 meshing with a similar gear 55 secured to the end ofthe shaft 50 and the gear 53 likewise meshing with the gear 54. Associated with this train of gearing is another gear 56 removably mounted upon the end of the shaft 46 remote from the bevel gear 47. The

size of the gear 56 controls the length of the spacings of the traveler 41 along the screw shaft 31 upon each complete revolution of said shaft and should it be desired to materially change the length of said spacings from the three inch spacing 111611- tioned in the examples above given, it will be obvious that a smaller or larger gear may be substituted for the gear 56. The means, as shown in Figure 7, is in its neutral position,'but by swinging the frame 51 in either direction it will be apparent that either of the gears 52 or 54 may be engaged with the gear 56 with the result that rotation of the shaft 50 will be imparted through the gears to drive the shaft 46 in the desired direction. After the frame 51 is properly ad justed the same may be secured in its adj usted position by means of a bolt 57 mounted in a slot 58 in the frame 51.

The shaft 50 is intermittently driven by means preferably in the form of a train of gearing, best illustrated in Figure '6. This train of gearing is mounted between two standards 59 in the upper ends of which is journaled one end of the shaft 13. Between the standards 59 the shaft 13 has keyed thereto the gear 60 which meshes with an idler gear 61 supported by said standards. The gear 61 in turn meshes with a gear 62 of the same diameter as the gear 60 so that said gear 62 will turn a like number of revolutions with the gear 60. Mounted upon the same stub shaft as that carrying the gear 62 is an interrupted gear 63 the major portion of which is provided with a smooth surface and the teeth of which are designed to mesh with the teeth of a second interrupted gear 64 having a concave locking portion 65 engageable by the smooth portion of the gear 63 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 6. The gear 64 is carried by the adjacent end of the shaft 50 and when the train of gearing is in the position shown in Figure 6, the punch 12 is being operated to form an opening in the sheet 26 and by rea son of the inter-engagement of the smooth portion of the gear 63 with the locking portion 65 of the gear 64 the latter gear will not turn and consequently the shaft 50 remains stationary with the result that the spacing table 21 will be at a standstill. This condition continues until the gear 63 has been rotated sufficiently to engage the first tooth thereof with the locking portion 65 of the gear 64. At this time the punch 12 has been elevated and continued movement of the gear 63 will then causea meshing of its teeth with those of the gear 64-to impart rotation to the shaft 50 with the result that the table 21 will be moved one spacing as previously described. When the table has been moved the desired distance the smooth portion of the gear 63 again engages the locking portion 65 of the gear 64 with the result that the shaft 50 stops rotating and the sheet 26 is again properly positioned beneath the punch 12 which is now operated to form an opening in the sheet spaced the desired distance from the opening last made. After the entire sheet has been punched i and the table 21 has reached the end of its movement in one direction a new sheet may be placed upon said table and the latter caused to move in the opposite direction by operating the reversing means (Figure 7) to disengage either of the gears 52 or 54 from the gear 56 and engage the other of said two gears with said gear 56 to rotate the screw shaft 31 in the opposite direction;

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 9 and 10, the machine is operated in precisely the same manner as above set forth, the only difl'erencein this form being that the parts are arranged differently. The drive for the shaft 46 is preciselythe same and said shaft, through the bevel gears 66 and 67, rotates the screw shaft 31. The shaft supporting member 27, however, is mounted to swing in a vertical plane instead of a horizontal plane, as in Figure 1. andis secured in its various adjusted positions in a guide 68 which is the equivalent, of the guide 30. Further, the arm 35 depends fronithe table 21 and is adjustable in a vertical plane instead of a horizontal plane, the guide 69 to which the arm 35 is secured in its adjusted position, in this instance, def pending from the table 21 and performing the same function as the guide 38.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet punching machine, the combination with a punching mechanism; of a sheet carrying table movable to feed a sheet to said punching mechanism, and mechanism for effecting the movement of said table and for varying the distance of travel thereof, including swingingly mounted means, a traveler operated by said means,

and an arm connected between the table and the traveler.

2. In a sheet punching machine, the combination with a punching mechanism; of a sheet-carrying table movable to feed a sheet to said punching mechanism, and mechanism for effecting the intermittent movement of said table and for varying the distance of travel thereof, including swingin l mounted-means atraveler o'erate d b b 7 said means, and an arm connected between the table and the traveler.

.In a sheet punching machine, thecombination with a punching mechanism; of a sheet carrying :ta-ble movable tofeed asheet to said punching mechanism, and mechanism for effecting the periodic movement of said table and for-varying the distance of periodic travel thereof, including swingingly mounted means, a traveler operated by said means, and an amn connected betweenthe table and the traveler.

4. In .a sheet punching machine, the combination with a punching mechanism; of a sheet carrying table movable to feed a sheet to said punching mechanism, and mechanism for effecting the movement of said table and for varying thedistance of travel thereof, including a swingingly mounted feed screw, a traveler coacting with said feed screw, and an armconnected to the table and the traveler.

In a sheet punching machine, the combination with a punching mechanism; of a sheetcanrying table movable to feed a sheet to said punchin-g mechanism, and mechanism for effecting the movement of said table and for varying the distanceof travel thereof, including a swingingly mounted support, :a driven feed screwcarried by said 7. In a .sheet punching machine, the combination with a punching mechanism; of a sheet carrying table movable to feed'za sheet to said punching mechanism, and mechanism for effecting the movement of said table and for va'ryi ngthe distance of travel thereof, including swingingly mounted means, a traveler operated by said swingingly mounted means, an arm connected bet-ween the table and the traveler, and means for holdingsaid swingingly mounted means in different positions.

8. In a sheet punching machine, thecombination with a punching mechanism; of a sheet carrying table movable to feed a sheet to said punching mechanism,:and mechanism for effecting the movementof said table and for varying the distance of travel thereof, including swinginglymounted means, a traveler operated by said swingingly :mounted means, an arm connected between the table and the traveler, means for holding said sW-ingingly mounted means in different positions, :and calculating means associated with said swingingl'y mounted means for use in calculating the distance of movement of the swlingingly mounted means to determine the distance of travel. of said table.

9. In .a sheet punching machine, the combination avith punching mechanism; of a sheet carrying table movable to feed a sheet to said punching mechanism,-and mechanism for effecting the movement of said table and for varying the distance of :travel thereof, including swingingly mounted means, a traveler operated by said means, and an arm 'pivotally connected to "the table and to the traveler. V

10. In a sheet punching machine, the combination with a punching mechanism; of a sl-ieet-carrying table movable 'tofeed asheet to said punching mechanism, ashaft, means for intermittently rotating said shaft, a traveler movable along the shaft as the same is rotated, and an arm pivotally carried by said table and engaged by said traveler .to move said table .a predetermined distance when said shaft is rotated, said .arm being capable of adjustment to different angular positions .transecting the axis of said shaft to vary the distance said table is moved during any given movement of the traveler along said shaft.

JOHN *DOXVD. JOHN .A.' DOYVD, JR. 

